Willis Petti will be the first to tell you he’s a beginner when it comes to making films.  That aside, he and his filmmaking partner, Keith Strong, did a pretty damn good job and broke a couple barriers along the way as novices behind the camera.  

It started several years ago.  One camera, no money and a couple of guys; let me rephrase that, a couple of dudes—one Native, one White.  The result—goofy slapstick comedy in the classic style of Mr. Bean or the Three Stooges.  Forget deep messages, but plenty of laughs. Apparently, those in the know also agree—selections from their Dude comedy trilogy have earned film festival screenings throughout Canada from imagineNative, Dreamspeakers, Winnipeg, and the upcoming Weeneebeg.  

It’s not due to beginners luck.  The three comedies, less than 17 minutes for all three, are a physical wrangle between the two lead dudes—Willis and Keith—no dialogue, with the exception of one word.  (I’ll let you guess what that is…) 

“It was important to us to tell our stories visually, especially since we don’t know how to act anyway,” Willis says.  “The response, especially from kids, is that they really seem to like them.”  

The reason is no surprise.  Something happens when you sit down and watch each short, whether it’s Keith’s ill-conceived April Fool’s joke, their gaseous escapades with chili, and especially the second episode, Dude vs. Dude,  which has them fighting over a pizza.  

We laugh.  Out loud. 

Certainly, Dude isn’t the most sophisticated, layered humor, but then again, it isn’t supposed to be.  It’s funny watching two bumbling grown men ravenously wolfing a pizza and asserting their inner alpha dog to win the last slice.  Sure, it’s juvenile, but these are “dudes,” man, and if you’re a dude or know a dude then you know dudes are dudes regardless of their race or walk of life.  That’s what made the early Saturday Night Live  work.  The skits with Steve Martin and Dan Akroyd gleefully celebrated the dude-dom of “two wild and crazy guys.” 

We laughed.  Out loud. 

In that fine tradition, the Dude  trilogy likewise succeeds with a distinctly Canadian-Aboriginal twist.  No heavy lifting; no deep social conscience.  It’s progress when a Native guy and his White friend can just hang out, pass gas, grunt, and eat too much—be dudes.  Without tipis, feathers, dreary depictions of drunkenness, desperation or ethnic animosity.  Not here; not this time. 

When Willis says “I get along with everybody;” it shows. What we get—three amusing comedies to appeal to both kids and the oldest among us.  That has nothing  to do with beginner’s luck.   

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

The Dude trilogy is not currently available on DVD but has been enjoying a healthy life on the film festival circuit. Meanwhile, Willis Petti is keeping busy working on a dramatic film with his wife to be completed this summer. He and fellow dude, Keith Strong, also plan on future comedies that might actually involve a budget. Please stay tuned as we plan to keep you updated on their upcoming projects in the months ahead~~~